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Lex Rigby, campaigns manager at Viva!, said she was delighted such a popular and established Bristol restaurant had decided to remove the meat product.

The Burger Joint has dropped kangaroo meat from its menu (pictured: its Fishponds restaurant, before it closed) (Image: Bristol Live)

“Viva! has campaigned against the sale of kangaroo meat for over two decades,” she said.

“We have achieved numerous successes and are proud to say that all UK supermarkets are now kangaroo meat free.

“It was fantastic to see a popular gourmet restaurant – such as The Burger Joint – making the ethical choice to stop supporting the kangaroo meat industry, alongside offering improved vegan options on their menu.

“We are hopeful that this decision will encourage other restaurants to consider where their meat comes from and develop compassionate options. In the meantime, we continue to support Australian wildlife groups to end this merciless and bloody trade.”

Kangaroo meat is not sustainable, according to Viva!

Although no official statistics are available on the number of wounded animals, the Australian RSPCA estimates more than 100,000 adults are inhumanely killed - with some temporarily surviving with horrific wounds - every year.

And since kangaroos are a slow-breeding marsupial with low reproductive rates, Viva! said wildlife experts are concerned turning them into a commodity is not only cruel but also unsustainable.

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Dan Bekhradnia, managing director at the Burger Joint, added: “Once we had met with Lex and she explained the ethical and health concerns with regards to consuming kangaroo meat, removing it from our menu was an easy decision to make.

“Although it was popular with our customers, we care deeply about serving responsibly sourced food, and it was clear that we could not be sure of this with kangaroo meat.”